MP3: Monkeystrikes - Tahonga take away

Cecilia Nordlund has been a prominent Swedish artist for a long time, dating back to the mid-90s and her bands Souls to Monkeystrikes in 2005 and (hopefully) her upcoming solo album. There's also that one song she did with Marit Bergman that ending up as sort of a minor international indie hit, but in leiu of new material to share, I'd rather focus on Monkeystikes. The band only released one record, but it's a great one. Songs such as opener "Tahonga take away" build on the heavier alt-rock sound of her previous act (think: Pixies, Breeders, etc.), tempering it with a more sophisticated lyrical approach. It's a busy song and they manage to fit a lot in these two short minutes. Surprisingly dynamic too- listen for the small nuances that differentiate the verses, taking it beyond the typical verse-chorus/soft-loud approach. Obviously, that aspect is still present, but it's less obvious/clichéd. Every time I hear this I think, "why don't I listen to Monkeystrikes more often?" So far the best answer I can come up with is that I'm a fool.

Monkeystrikes - Tahonga take away